March 11, 2005

Box Score

Allendale, Mich. - #16 Grand Valley State used a 6-0 run with 6:18 left to take a 62-56 lead and made all six free throw attempts in the final 33 seconds to pull out a 73-69 victory over Wisconsin-Parkside in quarterfinal action of the NCAA DII Great Lakes Regional in Allendale. The Lakers advance to Saturday's 8 p.m. semifinal contest versus Indianapolis game.

The matchup between number-one seeded GVSU and eighth-seeded UWP was a tight affair throughout. The first half saw eight lead changes and four ties as neither team led by more than five point. The Rangers jumped out to an 8-3 lead early, but the Lakers went on an 8-2 run that was capped by Erika Ryskamp's first three-pointer. GVSU built a 24-20 lead on a three-point play by junior forward Niki Reams at the 7:41 mark. Jen Braier hit a baseline jumper with 1:04 left in the first half to pull the Rangers within one (31-30) at the half.

Freshman guard Crystal Zick hit a three-pointer to put the Lakers up 39-34 with 17:10 left in the second half, but UWP tied the game at 41-41 at the 14:03 mark. Reams gave GVSU a 48-44 lead on a pair of free throws and senior forward Janin Guastella hit two free throws hit two more from the charity stripe to give GVSU its largest lead of the game to that point (50-44). However, the Rangers erased that lead quickly with a 6-0 run to tie the game at 50. Parkside took a 54-52 lead on two free throws by Carrie Weir, but Reams tied the game with two from the foul line on the Lakers' next possession. The tide turned following Reams' free throws as she stole the inbounds pass and hit Erika Ryskamp for a layup to give GVSU a 56-54 lead with 6:53 left. UWP tied the contest at 56, but GVSU's Reams, Guastella and Ryskamp hit three unanswered baskets to give the Lakers a 62-56 lead with 4:40 left. The Rangers pulled to within two 64-62, but freshman center Rachael Willett hit an eight-foot jumper to put GVSU up four. Guastella hit one of two free throws to put GVSU up three (65-62), but UWP answered with a Weir jumper. Reams hit a layup on an assist by Willett with 1:15 remaining and Reams then blocked the shot of Weir and pulled down the rebound. A pair of free throws by the junior All-American candidate gave GVSU a 69-64 lead, before Zick and Willett each hit a pair of free throws to give the Lakers their largest lead of the night (73-66) with six ticks left. Parkside hit a three-pointer as time expired for the final margin.

"We're pleased to get the win," said third-year GVSU head coach Dawn Plitzuweit. "We knew Wisconsin-Parkside was going to give us their best shot, but too our teams credit we handled everything and kept our composure to get the win," added Plitzuweit.

Reams notched her 14th double-double of the year with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Niki added five assists, four blocked shots and three steals on the evening. Ryskamp tallied 16 points and hit four three-pointers, while Guastella added 14 points. Sophomore center Julia Braseth added eight points, Zick five and Willett four. The Lakers dished out 19 assists and hit 18-of-22 free throws. The victory was GVSU's school-record 26th of the year.